School Days

School’s starting and parents will soon hear their bright young undergrads complain about lousy dorms. While you can go into the typical “when I was your age” diatribe, there is another way: simply buy them an apartment.

Not just for the overly privileged, many parents view buying an apartment in a college town or city as a wise investment, according to Forbes’ Sara Clemence. Digging through real estate data, she determines the best areas for appreciation near colleges (New York City ranks #4).

While this seems like a win-win for both parents and children, there are those intangibles of on-campus life—lack of privacy, obnoxious roommates, and drunken freshman puking in the hallway—that would unfortunately be lost.